Visit Tampa Bay brings groundbreaking campaign to NYC, Philadelphia

TAMPA (Jan. 17, 2017) – Visit Tampa Bay plants its flag in New York City and Philadelphia for the first time as part of an innovative out-of-state marketing campaign that breaks new ground for tourism promotion. The campaign launches Jan. 15 and runs through May.

The $1 million-plus campaign builds on Visit Tampa Bay’s award-winning “Florida’s Most” marketing strategy. Developed by Clearwater, Fla.-based FKQ Advertising + Marketing, the 2017 campaign includes an evolution of the Visit Tampa Bay brand that reinforces the destination’s bright blue skies, waterfront location, and abundant sunshine as well as its urban panache.

Along with New York and Philadelphia, the campaign targets residents in important Tampa Bay feeder markets of Chicago, Dallas, Toronto, the United Kingdom, Germany and Latin America.

“As the biggest media market in the U.S. and one of the biggest in the world, New York offers Tampa Bay unprecedented access to tens of millions of potential visitors who share Tampa Bay’s love for sunshine, great food, professional sports and great family fun,” said Santiago Corrada, president and CEO of Visit Tampa Bay. “And we’re reaching New Yorkers where they live – not in Times Square.”

Visit Tampa Bay will be the first DMO to use New York’s new Link NYC system of public kiosks that provide charging for electronic devices, wi-fi and wayfinding. Link NYC stations are strategically located in high-traffic areas of Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, giving Visit Tampa Bay a prominent footprint in the region. A select number provide space for videos as well as still imagery.

Visit Tampa Bay will also use the smartphone-based Coat Chex system to reach New Yorkers as they attend sports events, concerts and the like -- another example of strategically targeting residents.

“We’re doing things that no destination has ever done before,” said Patrick Harrison, Chief Marketing Officer for Visit Tampa Bay. “This innovative approach gives us maximum exposure in major markets for minimum cost – and in unique ways that show the over-the-horizon vision Tampa Bay is becoming famous for.”

In addition to NYC LINK, Visit Tampa Bay’s campaign will delivering its targeted messaging through commuter stations, premium “connected TV” devices in all markets, and billboards/wallscapes. The campaign also includes year-round digital marketing and storytelling through Madden Media.

Other campaign highlights include:

A take-over of Amtrak’s high-speed Acela Express line running between Washington, D.C., and Boston – the national rail line’s most heavily traveled corridor in the Northeast.

Prominent advertising in subway stations and the PATH commuter network in the New York area and the SEPTA transit system in Philadelphia.

Wrapped subway cars and buses on heavily traveled lines in Chicago and Dallas, two of Tampa Bay’s most reliable tourism markets.

Visit Tampa Bay’s 2016 out-of-state marketing campaign produced more than 47,000 additional visits to Hillsborough County and $45 million in additional tourism-related spending, according to an analysis by H2R Market Research.

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About Visit Tampa Bay

Visit Tampa Bay encourages adventurous travelers to unlock our destination’s trove of unique treasures. We are a not-for-profit corporation that works with more than 750 partners to tell the world the story of our home – the hip, urban heart of the Gulf Coast of Florida.